A New Zealand lawmaker made a splash inside parliament on Tuesday, brandishing a hefty live crayfish that he pledged to devour after the government budget this week.
New Zealand Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones cradled the crustacean as he strolled through the lobby at Parliament House in Wellington, a sight so bizarre that it stopped a nearby news conference in its tracks.
“As you can see, it’s still moving, but once it goes into hot water, it won’t be moving any more,” Jones said after a baffled reporter asked: “Is it alive?”
Photo: AFP
Jones said that the freshwater crayfish — which are similar to lobsters — was a gift from members of the Ngai Tahu Maori tribe.
“Ngai Tahu came to see me,” he told reporters after being asked what it was for. The crayfish “reflects my stewardship as the best fishing minister since 1986.”
He said it would be consumed “on the night of the budget,” which the government is to hand down today.
Jones held the crayfish while he fielded reporters’ questions on everything from energy policy to the selection processes of his NZ First political party.
He said he would not bring it into the debating chamber, lest it be confiscated and eaten by the speaker.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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